8-year-old boy dies from gunshot wound in N. Liberty County

PLUM GROVE, Texas – An 8-year-old boy died Saturday night after he was shot in the chest, while family members were shooting at tin cans at north Liberty County home.

According to the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, the fatal incident happened at 10 p.m. on County Road 3560 near the Plum Grove area.

Investigators said the father, 35-year-old Aaron Rincon, and his juvenile nephew along with Rincon’s 8-year-old son were using a very old .22 caliber semi-automatic rifle with no trigger guard to take turns shooting at tin cans near a wood pile.

From the initial investigation, Rincon told investigators that the rifle was being handled by someone and when he turned his back, he heard a gunshot and his son had been shot.

Rincon put his son in his truck and was rushing him to the hospital when he came upon Deputy Ben Garcia conducting a burglary investigation on County Road 3550.

Garcia called for an ambulance and Life Flight while rendering CPR to the small boy, investigators said. The child was flown to a local hospital in Houston where he was pronounced dead.

Deputies said the investigation is still in the very early stages and due to a language barrier as well as the emotional state of the father and family members, the exact details of who was involved or how the shooting happened has yet to be determined.

At this time no charges have been filed and an autopsy has been ordered.